Porto Velho Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

The bus station (cnr Av Jorge Teixeira & Av Carlos Gomes) is 2km east of the center.

Real Norte (3225 2891) runs four daily buses to Rio Branco (R$50 to R$57 eight hours) departing at 7am, noon, 10pm and 11:55pm; the 10pm departure is direct. It also has service to Guajará-Mirim (R$30 to R$34, five hours) at 6am, 9:30am, 2pm, 6pm, 11:30pm and 1am; the 2pm and 1am departures are direct. Collective taxis also make the trip to Guajará-Mirim (per person R$40, four hours). The price is based on a minimum of four passengers; ask taxi drivers at the bus station.

Andorinha (3225 3025) has virtually identical services to Real Norte, including to Rio Branco (ordinary/direct R$50/57, eight hours, four departures daily), Guajará-Mirim (ordinary/direct R$30/34, five hours, six departures daily) and Cuiabá (R$130, 24 hours, two departures daily).

Eucatur (3222 2223) offers long-distance service to destinations like Cuiabá (R$130, 24 hours, five departures daily), São Paulo (R$260, 48 hours, one departure daily) and Brasília (R$240, 40 hours, one departure daily).

Tekla (3225 2867) serves the glutton-for-punishment route, with buses to Imperitriz (R$320, 2½ to three days, one departure weekly) connecting to Belém (R$380, three to 3½ days).

Car

Rental agencies can be found at the airport, including Localiza (3224 6530, 0800/99 2000; www.localiza.com; Av Jorge Teixeira 151) and Boa Sorte Rent a Car (3229 4425).

^ Back to top

Boat

Slow boats to Manaus via the Rio Madeira and Rio Amazonas leave twice weekly from Porto Cai n’Água at the end of Rua 13 de Maio. Departures are on Tuesday (arriving in Manaus on Friday) and Friday (arriving on Sunday) between noon and 6pm. Tickets are R$100 for hammock, R$350 for camarote (one to two people, fan, no bathroom) and R$450 for a suite (one to two people, air-con, private bathroom); all include three meals per day, the latter two get somewhat better meals, and lunch and dinner are delivered to your room. Agência Amazonas (3223 9743; 7am-7pm Mon-Sat, 7am-11am Sun) is one of several ticket offices on Rua 13 de Maio near the port; ticket prices are negotiable, especially for groups. Most agencies can reserve good hammock spots for you, and even sell you a hammock (though you’ll get better prices at the market); otherwise, arrive at the boat in the morning to secure a good place to hang your hammock. You can even arrive a day or two in advance, and stay for free on the boat before it departs.

^ Back to top

Air

Porto Velho airport is 7km north of town. There are daily direct flights to Manaus and Brasília, from here you can connect to the rest of the country and world. Gol also has direct flights to Rio Branco and, most of the year, to Cruzeiro do Sul. The small airport has HSBC and Banco de Brasil cash machines, a post office, rental car agencies, an information desk and a strangely large food court.

Gol (3217 7494; www.voegol.com) At airport only, direct flights to Manaus, Brasilia, Rio Branco and Cruzeiro de Sul.

Rico (3224 2105, airport check-in desk 3222 0879; Av Pinheiro Machado 744; 8am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat)

TAM (3217 7508; www.tam.com.br) At airport only; all flights connect through Brasilia.

^ Back to top